Odes

Dragonflies continue to add to the color of the Wetlands. Carolina Saddlebags, Black Saddlebags, Great Blue Skimmers, and a Twelve-spotted Skimmer have enhanced the viewing pleasure while gazing out over the water of the Wetlands this past week. I even saw a species that I hadn’t seen here since 2010.

A male Great Blue Skimmer.
A male Great Blue Skimmer.

There were also several female Great Blue Skimmers seen and photo’d.

G-b Skimmer, female.
Female Great Blue Skimmer.

A surprise was a Twelve-spotted Skimmer seen perched on smartweed in the Wetlands. These dragons are migratory and are more likely to be seen here in spring and fall. The last one I saw here was in May of 2009 in Catch the Wind. This ode’s name comes from the fact that it has twelve black spots or marks on its wings, three on each of its four wings.

Male Twelve-spotted Skimmer (6/5/14).
Male Twelve-spotted Skimmer (6/5/14).

The last time I saw a Taper-tailed Darner here at the Museum was in June of 2010, and that was a dead specimen. The unfortunate dragon had been captured by some creature and partially eaten. The head and part of the thorax were missing. Identification was not easy, but I finally determined it was a Taper-tailed Darner. I saw a live specimen here at the Museum on 6 June of this year.

A living, breathing Taper-tailed Darner.
A living, breathing Taper-tailed Darner.

And finally, a beetle. I’ve been attempting to post this photo for several weeks but something keeps getting in the way. Some other wildlife news or happening always seems to trump this and a few other photos that I’ve been holding in my IMAGES_TO_GO folder. That folder is chock-full of photos earmarked and waiting for publication.

Butterfly Weed is blooming in Catch the Wind. Many insects are attracted to the plant including Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetles. Here’s a pair just below the flowers of the plant.

It looks as though the female is enjoying a snack of butterfly weed flower while the male has other ideas.
It looks as though the female is enjoying a snack of butterfly weed flower while the male has other ideas.

There’s much happening out in the Wild, but you have to be there to see it happen. Come on down!

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